Lingering Cloud

After two days of rain and cold air, finally the sun is out again.

However, huge piece of cloud is still lingering in the sky, threatening to be back soon.

Location: Piazza Castello

Layer Clouds

 View from my balcony can be quite nice, especially on a fine day.

Today, the layers of clouds at the end of piazza Castello caught my eyes.  

Location: Via Pietro Micca

Japanese Photinia

I think the plant is Japanese photinia. Found it planted in some big stone plant pot by the road side in via Mercanti. It was planted to replace a dying plant.

Photinia glabra, the Japanese photinia, is a species in the family Rosaceae. Photinia glabra is one of the smallest of the photinias, reaching only 10 to 12 feet tall. The plant is native to China, Japan.

Location: Via Mercanti

Rose Antiche

 Antique rose at the Royal Palace, plenty of them.

A type of antique rose, but not sure about the name. They are starting to blossum now

Location: Giardini Reali

Bubbles Man Long Time No See

This charismatic street performer is all the children's favourite.

He is the bubbles man, he can be seen usually in piazza San Carlo or piazza Castello. 

 

Location: Piazza San Carlo

Harmonica Player

He is often seen playing the harmonica along via Garibaldi or in piazza castello.

He looked quite old, and the way he hunched his back while blowing the harmonica made it looked like he was having a hard time playing it.

Once in a while, someone would offer him some money for his effort and his performance.

Location: Piazza Castello

Mountains Afar

Via Garibaldi is one of the longest pedestrian walk in Europe. 

In a clear pleasant day, walking along via Garibaldi can be very delightful, especially with the mountains afar vividly visible.

The cool air from the yesterday cold breeze mingling in the air with the warmth of the late morning sun. 

We had a surprisingly satisfying walk.

location: Via Garibaldi

Unrecognizable Ice Bear

Remember the ice bear in piazza Castello? It has more resistance than I could immagine.

Here it is after 2 days in the piazza. Unrecognizable, but it is still sitting there....

 Location: Piazza Castello

The Stairs Of The Palazzo Della Luce

Palazzo Della Luce: the place that most pays homage to the splendor of the Belle Epoque and the seductions of the past with an eclectic and magnificent style

From hosting conferences to splendid candlelit concerts, the palace is a historical, artistic and cultural jewel that certainly does not go unnoticed given its imposing structure which occupies an entire city block.

The fascinating building was designed in 1915 by the architect Carlo Angelo Ceresa to house the new headquarters of the Cassa di Risparmio. It is defined by the people of Turin as "the little Madama" due to its resemblance to the Palazzo Madama in Piazza Castello and today it is an incredible event space that also hosts spectacular candlelit concerts.

 

And here is the stairs leading to the first floor of the palazzo. 

Location: Palazzo Della Luce

Ice Bear

A gigantic ice bear stands guard at the gates of the Royal Palace and inexorably melts under the sun. This is the installation desired by Club Silencio and AWorld - to launch Earth Day which will take place on Saturday 20 April inside the Royal Courtyard, to raise a spotlight on climate change. 

Abnormal heat After the summer weekend, last two days were very hot in the center of Turin.  

And the one paying the price for the anomalous heat is the ice bear, over one and a half meters tall and weighing a ton, which is slowly being consumed drop by drop. A thousand kilos of a transparent block, which in a few hours will be reduced to water. 

At the base of the animal there is a clear message: "A climate of change can stop climate change". 

Cubetto Ice DesignerS created the installation, at the request of Club Silencio and AWorld. "They wanted - they explain - to place the bear in advance, to show what happens with these temperatures: the part under the sun is already very melted". "It is a work - add from Club Silencio and AWorld, which will be among the protagonists of the 14 hours for the environment on 20 April - of guerrilla marketing: we are in April and it is almost 30 degrees. We wanted to shine a light on overheating global: our planet is taking a turn that is not the best."

Location: Piazza Castello

Diner Garden

The Orto Urbano in piazza Filiberto is a vegetable garden created by the initiative and resourcefulness of private individuals who agreed with each other and with Coldiretti, who built and took it under management.

Thanks to the vegetable garden, agriculture regains spaces in the city, redeveloping areas once occupied by situations of drugs and degradation, replacing them with green spaces for citizens, students and moments of social entertainment, increasingly important in a context of a new model of development.

Every year,   Messer Tulipano contribute to the beauty of the Garden by giving away bulbs whose flowering will help bring the spring colors of the Pralormo Castle to Turin too.

This spring, without fail, the tulips are blooming beautifully in the garden.

However, something is different. Bars and restaurants near to the garden have started to place their tables and chairs in the garden, which means transforming the garden into part of their premises. So, does it mean that the garden will soon become only for the diners of the bars and restaurants? 

Location: Piazza Filiberto

Cristina Mittermeier. A greater wisdom Pt 2

Cristina "Mitty" Mittermeier, a visionary photographer, marine biologist, and avid conservationist, stands as a formidable force in the realm of environmental advocacy.

In 2014 she, alongside her partner Paul Nicklen, co-founded SeaLegacy, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating a healthy and abundant ocean through powerful storytelling and impactful visual media.

Through her lens, she conveys the delicate balance of natural ecosystems and the urgency to preserve these habitats that sustain a myriad of life. Her art, driven by a desire to make a difference, serves as a compelling call to action, illustrating the transformative power of photography in raising awareness and inspiring change.

 

(Text extracted from  https://www.cristinamittermeier.com/)

Location: Galleria D'Italia

Cristina Mittermeier. A greater wisdom Pt 1

A GREATER WISDOM" is the title of the exhibition dedicated by Gallerie d'Italia - Turin to the research by the photographer, marine biologist and activist who for years has documented the beauty of our planet and the various cultures and traditions of the populations that live in symbiosis with nature

The 90 or so shots in the exhibition – the first retrospective in Europe dedicated to the photographer – urge us to use our planet's limited resources wisely, with a reminder that human beings are not isolated creatures but members of an interconnected society: in particular, the health of the oceans has a direct impact on our climate, the air we breathe and the food we eat.

Developing the artist's idea of "enoughness" as a way to understand our place in the global ecosystem, the exhibition thus brings the visitor into close contact with the themes of environmental protection and sustainability, which Gallerie d'Italia - Turin promotes through the stories of renowned photographers.

The exhibition is curated by Lauren Johnston and held in collaboration with National Geographic.

(Text extracted from https://group.intesasanpaolo.com/en/newsroom/news/all-news/2024/gallerie-d-italia-turin-cristina-mittermeier)

Location: Galleria D'Italia

Squirrel Feeding Time

Went back to the Royal garden to feed the squirrels. They seem to be more active and willing to come forward. Perhaps it is because of Spring and they are sort of awaken from hibernation.

Location: Giardini Reali

Little Blu Bells

 Surpried to find these little blu bells growing out under a huge tree at the La Marmora garden.

 

Someone must have planted them there....

Location: Giardino La Marmora

Rain Puddles

As usual, after a day or two of rain, puddles of water were left here and there. 

Fortunately. they normally dry up pretty fast.

Location: Via Mercanti

April Rain

It rains again, after a few days of clear, warm weather, here comes the rain again.

Currently temperature reads below 15 °C.

Out with the umbrellas and raincoats again.

Location: Via Milano

Double Act

Two artists performed under the Mole, the museum of  cinema in Turin.

One of them, the 'One Man Zen' was playing a cello while the other one was doing a painting of 'La Mole'.

I am not sure if they were together or just happened to be at the same place performing art.

 Location: Via Montebello

 

 

Spring Day

Sunday was a fine, pleasant day. The temperature was about 22 -24 °C most of the day.

Out at the Royal Park, little daises were blooming everywhere, people were gathering around, lying on the green meadow to enjoy the arrival of Spring.  

Location: Giardini Reali